Positional Storylines: RB
Chris Ivory Leads the Way in a Crowded Backfield
Marcel Shipp played seven seasons for the Arizona Cardinals, rushing for 2,197 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 113 passes between 2001 and '07. Shipp coached alongside Todd Bowles as an intern on the Cardinals staff in 2013, then last year was RB coach at his alma mater, Massachusetts.
Hard-charging Chris Ivory enters his third season with the Jets. The 6'0", 222-pounder ranked third in the league last year with 19 broken tackles. Ivory, who has averaged 827 yards on the ground the past two seasons, led the team with a career-high six touchdowns in 2014. Ivory led all NFL RBs with at least 175 carries in average yards after contact in 2013, gaining 2.7 yards after the first hit.
Bilal Powell owns a diversified skill set. Possessing good hands out of the backfield and proving durable as a blocker, the 5'10", 204-pound Powell averaged 4.3 yards a carry in 2014. In 2013, Powell established career bests in rush yards (697), receiving yards (272) and receptions (36).
Jets GM Mike Maccagnan acquired Zac Stacy from the St. Louis Rams on draft weekend in exchange for a seventh-round pick (No. 224 overall). A downhill runner, Stacy rushed for 973 yards and 7 TDs his rookie season. The 5'9", 224-pounder adds competition to a deep backfield.
After suffering a knee injury last October, Stevan Ridley didn't participate in team drills this spring. "I really can't predict the future, man," Ridley said. "I just know that, for me, I've got to be ready for Week 1. That's the goal right now. I'm not going to set myself up for any false hope or say that I'm going to do something that I'm not." In four years with the Patriots, Ridley averaged 4.3 yards a carry and amassed 22 TDs on the ground.
Daryl Richardson, a back with good burst, was a Jets practice squad member in 2014. A seventh-round selection in the 2012 Draft, the Abilene Christian product rushed for 690 yards in two seasons with the Rams and also totaled 38 receptions.
At fullback, Tommy Bohanon will return to physical contact in camp after a collarbone injury cut his 2014 season short. Bohanon, a seventh-round pick of the Jets in the 2013 NFL Draft, has 31 career touches. The 6'1", 246-pounder is a thumper who hopes to showcase some versatility this summer.
J.C. Copeland, an undrafted free agent out of LSU in 2014, signed a contract after participating in the Jets rookie minicamp. Copeland spent the past year at LSU, finishing up his degree in sports administration. Originally a defensive end, the 5'11", 260-pound Copeland is a big dude.
